Driscoll jumps ship to avoid a hearing on his expulsion

SCOTT Driscoll jumped from the Liberal National Party on Friday evening to avoid a hearing on his expulsion due for Saturday.

His leap to be a permanent crossbencher follows his suspension from the LNP after a suite of allegations were made against him.

News Limited reported the Member for Redcliffe was set to face an LNP hearing at 1pm on Saturday, charged with bringing the party into disrepute after giving false or misleading information when he was pre-selected before the 2012 state election.

The LNP state executive was to decide whether he would be dropped from the party.

Mr Driscoll released a statement at 6pm announcing he would leave the LNP.

The politician faced a stream of allegations that he acted inappropriately as a member of parliament, including accusations of directing government funds to a business owned by his wife.